Here is an e-mail I got from my friend in Finland. Maybe this of of
interest to nobody, but I always find it interesting to hear about
what it is like to be a skier more or less like us, but in in Finland.
Among other highlights, he mentions that there were 15 000 people out
skiing on the weekend in Helsinki.
Karl
Hello Karl!
What's up? How is your racing going?
I've done only 3 races so far. Winter has been very bad here in
Southern Finland. Winter started here very early, but good conditions
lasted only about 3 weeks. After that only places where skiing was
possible were in Lappland (and ski tunnels). Ski season started again
in the beginning of january. Now things looks much better and even
here in Helsinki ski trails are in good shape.
I didn't know that skiing here in Helsinki is that popular as it is.
Last Sunday it was about 15 000 people skiing in the main trails of
Helsinki. This week I heard interesting news. In two years we will get
ski tunnel in Espoo. Espoo is one of the biggest cities in Finland and
tunnel is going to be about under 2 km of our apartment. How great is
that?! I am very exciting about this. It is going to be huge thing for
metropolitan area skiers. It is sure that I am going to buy a season
ticket.
I've done variable races so far. One race was good second was OK and
last was between OK and fair. Common of all the races are that I've
skied them under the same flu. I hope I will get better soon, so I
could do more good races. Next weekend it is going be Lahti area
championships (unless it's too cold to race). I try to get as
close medals as possible. Last year I was very close the bronze medal,
but after the last uphill I lost all of my energy. Man, sometimes you
just lost all of your energy and power and after that it's kinda hard
to ski fast.
I've been working about 2 months now. I graduate before xmas. I
graduated for environmental engineering. Last months was quite busy
for me. I did very carefully my thesis. It ended up to be pretty good,
so my school send it to some kind of thesis competition.
Right now I am working with harbor and waterways. It's not exactly my
business, but they were first ones who wanted to hire me so I said
yes. A little bit later one planning office from Lahti asked me if I
was interested to work for them, but it was too late, I had already
signed a paper here in Helsinki. I am planning to work my current
job at least a while, because it gives me good experience anyway.
Isn't it pretty hard to combine work and ski training? It feels like I
have time only for working and training. I've been thinking that it
would be much better if working wouldn't take as much time as it takes
now. Life is too short for just working and working all the time. I
wonder how people can do so long work days year after year.
Well, now I have to go to sleep. I will wake up at 5:55am and at 7am I
will start to working. If I am lucky, I will finish my work day at
16.00pm.
Jani - http://personal.inet.fi/koti/jko/sivut/index.htm
I AM CANADIAN... just check my headband!
Jani skiing on the stored snow at the Vuokatti facilities. Well prepared for a low-snow winter!
Jani Skiing at Vuokatti
Skiing in the Leppavirta Ski Tunnel.
Some alternate ski training in Central Finland.
Jani in his first race this season. Tired, but a good race.
Jani racing at the Finnish National Championships
interest to nobody, but I always find it interesting to hear about
what it is like to be a skier more or less like us, but in in Finland.
Among other highlights, he mentions that there were 15 000 people out
skiing on the weekend in Helsinki.
Karl
Hello Karl!
What's up? How is your racing going?
I've done only 3 races so far. Winter has been very bad here in
Southern Finland. Winter started here very early, but good conditions
lasted only about 3 weeks. After that only places where skiing was
possible were in Lappland (and ski tunnels). Ski season started again
in the beginning of january. Now things looks much better and even
here in Helsinki ski trails are in good shape.
I didn't know that skiing here in Helsinki is that popular as it is.
Last Sunday it was about 15 000 people skiing in the main trails of
Helsinki. This week I heard interesting news. In two years we will get
ski tunnel in Espoo. Espoo is one of the biggest cities in Finland and
tunnel is going to be about under 2 km of our apartment. How great is
that?! I am very exciting about this. It is going to be huge thing for
metropolitan area skiers. It is sure that I am going to buy a season
ticket.
I've done variable races so far. One race was good second was OK and
last was between OK and fair. Common of all the races are that I've
skied them under the same flu. I hope I will get better soon, so I
could do more good races. Next weekend it is going be Lahti area
championships (unless it's too cold to race). I try to get as
close medals as possible. Last year I was very close the bronze medal,
but after the last uphill I lost all of my energy. Man, sometimes you
just lost all of your energy and power and after that it's kinda hard
to ski fast.
I've been working about 2 months now. I graduate before xmas. I
graduated for environmental engineering. Last months was quite busy
for me. I did very carefully my thesis. It ended up to be pretty good,
so my school send it to some kind of thesis competition.
Right now I am working with harbor and waterways. It's not exactly my
business, but they were first ones who wanted to hire me so I said
yes. A little bit later one planning office from Lahti asked me if I
was interested to work for them, but it was too late, I had already
signed a paper here in Helsinki. I am planning to work my current
job at least a while, because it gives me good experience anyway.
Isn't it pretty hard to combine work and ski training? It feels like I
have time only for working and training. I've been thinking that it
would be much better if working wouldn't take as much time as it takes
now. Life is too short for just working and working all the time. I
wonder how people can do so long work days year after year.
Well, now I have to go to sleep. I will wake up at 5:55am and at 7am I
will start to working. If I am lucky, I will finish my work day at
16.00pm.
Jani - http://personal.inet.fi/koti/jko/sivut/index.htm
I AM CANADIAN... just check my headband!
Jani skiing on the stored snow at the Vuokatti facilities. Well prepared for a low-snow winter!
Jani Skiing at Vuokatti
Skiing in the Leppavirta Ski Tunnel.
Some alternate ski training in Central Finland.
Jani in his first race this season. Tired, but a good race.
Jani racing at the Finnish National Championships
Interesting Reading. . .
"Heat Recovery Formula!"